Edgerton woman’s nativity scene comes to life

A nativity scene created by by the family of Winnie Winn of Edgerton. The scene uses the faces of all of Winn's great grandchildren and is placed prominently on the front of her home.

Bill Olmsted

Detail shot of a nativity scene created by by the family of Winnie Winn of Edgerton. The scene uses the faces of all of Winn's great grandchildren.

EDGERTON  Winnie Winn has had a nativity scene outside her home for nearly 60 years, but it’s never been quite like this.

This year, life-size figures of her 20 great-grandchildren play the roles of Mary, Joseph, 10 angels, four shepherds, three kings and a drummer boy.

“There are 20 great-grandchildren on the front porch,” said Winn, 90. “It’s beautiful, and you know who they all are, too, because they’re that vivid and that good.”

Barb Winn, Winnie’s daughter, said the idea stemmed from a family Christmas tradition.

Winnie’s 10 kids performed a Christmas pageant at home while growing up. The kids always dressed up in costumes for the performance. The tradition was passed down to Winnie’s grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Patty Risch, also Winnie’s daughter, said she had the idea to have the great-grandchildren play the roles in the outdoor nativity scene as well as in the pageant.

She had all the great-grandchildren’s bodies traced onto cardboard for life-size cutouts. She then had costumes draped over them. Enlarged photos were used for the great-grandchildren’s faces.

“It’s quite a hoot. It really is,” Risch said. “I didn’t think so many people would be attracted to it, but they are.”

People often stop to admire the nativity scene, the sisters said. The great-grandchildren also got a kick out of it.